Achieving Universal Access to Electricity in Myanmar

An International Workshop on Achieving Universal Access to Electricity in Myanmar, co-organized by the Ministry of Electric Power (MOEP) of Myanmar and the World Bank, took place in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on May 31 and June 1, 2013. This Workshop was intended to launch the preparation of a national electrification strategy for Myanmar, as part of country actions of the global Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative and supported by the ESMAP SE4ALL technical assistance program (S-TAP).

Background and Objectives

In February 2013, the Government of Myanmar requested the World Bank to develop an energy policy outline which was subsequently delivered in March. Among the scores of the pressing issues and needs facing the energy sector in Myanmar, the Government confirmed that the development of a national electrification strategy to guide electrification planning and implementation was one of the priority areas.

The objective of the Workshop is to share knowledge and exchange international experience, best practices, and innovative solutions in scaling-up access to electricity around the world. The key issues and challenges related to electricity access will be discussed, in order to propose an action plan for the development of the National Electrification Program for Myanmar.

Moreover, the workshop will bring multiple stakeholders including government agencies, multilateral and bilateral development agencies (WBG, ADB, JICA, Norway, AusAID, USAID, ED, DFID etc), and private sector representatives.

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Summary and Next Steps

Approximately 150 participants attended at the workshop, including representatives from the government agencies of Myanmar, international and bilateral organizations, NGOs, and the private sector. The workshop agenda included presentations of different country experience in Asia, Africa and Latin America, panel discussions on various implementation issues related to national electrification, existing and planned support in the electricity sector by development partners, as well as open discussions on key elements of a national electrification strategy. International and bilateral organizations present at the Workshop included JICA, ADB, UNDP, DFID, US Department of State, and IFC in addition to World Bank.

The Workshop provided an important platform to engage different stakeholders internally and externally in the brainstorming and discussions on a range of issues related to the design and implementation of a national electrification program in Myanmar.

Myanmar is at an unprecedented juncture to launch a national electrification program for providing reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity services to the entire population of approximately 60 million. The government, international and bilateral organizations, and the private sector all demonstrated their commitment and interest in playing a role in the journey to achieving universal access. The government showed great appetite for open discussions on the challenges and taking an inclusive and coordinated approach to seeking technological and institutional solutions to national electrification. Nonetheless, the needs for investment and technical assistance/capacity building are tremendous. It is the objective of the World Bank/ESMAP-supported study to help chart out a path towards achieving universal access that is appropriate in the Myanmar context. Such path is expected to be reflected in a strategic document for a national electrification program (NEP). The preliminary outline of the NEP.